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Date : 11/03/05
Source: Ministry for Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Title: van Schalkwyk: Africa Forum

Extracts from speech delivered by Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, at the Africa Forum, ITB, Berlin

11 March 2005


Transfrontier Conservation Parks, a practical example of the New Partnership for Africa's Development
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is a vision and strategic framework for Africa's renewal. The NEPAD strategic framework document arises from a mandate given to the five initiating Heads of State (Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa) to develop an integrated socio-economic development framework for Africa. NEPAD is designed to address the challenges facing our continent, including escalating poverty levels, underdevelopment and the continued marginalisation of Africa. What is required to address these challenges is a partnership not only between African countries, but also between Africa and the developed world. The continued partnership with developed countries must aim to develop mutually beneficial programs with the people of Africa rather than for the people of Africa.

Transfrontier Conservation Parks (TFCAs) are a practical example where we are giving content to NEPAD. It is the stated objective of NEPAD to establish the conditions for sustainable development by ensuring inter alia:
* Peace and security;
* Regional co-operation and integration;
* Capacity building; and
* Increased investment in priority sectors such as the environment and tourism.
The Government of South Africa, through the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, is involved in one of Southern Africa's boldest and most ambitious programmes of establishing, developing and managing six TFCAs. We are joined in this initiative with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) neighbours and partners: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

The concept of Transfrontier Conservation Parks, also known as Peace Parks, can be traced back to a specific part of Africa's history that originated here in Berlin.

At the Berlin Convention of 1884, African territories were dealt like a pack of cards to the then colonial powers. National boundaries cut across tribal groups and wildlife migration routes. This led inter alia, to the destruction of biodiversity. 120 years after the European colonial "scramble for Africa," decolonialisation and Africa's political transformation has provided remarkable opportunities to discuss the opening of borders, particularly in Southern Africa, to establish TFCAs, to promote the freer movement of our peoples and to build partnerships to eradicate poverty.

The reference to Peace Parks emphasises the need for peace between man and man and man and nature. The development of these areas is a practical step undertaken by SADC countries to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development. It is not only about conservation and tourism, but ultimately about social development at a regional level.

The identified TFCAs in Southern Africa are well dispersed, covering an area of nearly 100 000 square kilometres through the major biomes and eco-regions of the region. These TFCAs make a significant contribution to biodiversity conservation as envisaged in the International Convention on Biodiversity. The diversity of wildlife, and the charismatic larger game animals like lions, elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, giraffe and zebra, that are the basis of the tourism attraction of Africa, provides the continent's single most important competitive advantage in the international tourism industry.

Africa's first TFCA, established in 2001, is the Kgalagadi Park between South Africa and Botswana. Since its opening, tourism to this area has tripled. A process has also been initiated to link the Park to Namibia.

The best known Park is probably the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, an area between Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, incorporating the well known Kruger Park. This area is already dubbed the world's greatest Animal Kingdom. Once the Mozambican side has been completed, it can be projected that at least 30% of the visitors to the Kruger Park will also visit Mozambique. Being one of the poorest countries in the world, one can imagine how a projected 350,000 visitors per annum, will financially benefit our partner.

Another Park is the one between South Africa and Lesotho with its thousands of rock paintings well over 30 000 years old. International tourists have the opportunity to see prehistoric rock paintings, thousands of fossils preserved in layers of rock as well as superb skeletal remains of dinosaurs in this mountain peace park of Southern Africa.

The fourth Park is the Ais/Ais-Richtersveld between South Africa and Namibia and our colleague from Namibia, Dr Lindeque, will no doubt refer to it.

The proposed Limpopo/Shashe Park between South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe will bring together areas of distinctive land use. These diverse forms of land ownership and land use present a considerable but exciting challenge to conservationists and planners.

One notable cultural attraction in this area is the ruins on the Mapungubwe plateau. This was the site of the capital of an African empire built roughly between 1030 and 1290 AD and thought to be the precursor of the great Zimbabwe Ruins. This area has been declared a World Heritage Site.

Finally, the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Park is situated on land bordering South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland. During the Cold War ideological and military fronts were established here. Nonetheless, as in the case of some parts of the border between the old East and West Germany, nature took advantage of the circumstances, the remote region remained unexploited and unspoiled. The biodiversity intensity here is greater than the Kruger Park. With the infrastructure we are putting in place it will soon be possible to visit the three countries on the same day. Through our collaborative efforts malaria has effectively been wiped out in the Lubombo area.

On the South African side, in the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park, investment to the amount of R432 million, which translates into 900 direct jobs, has already been realised and further investments of R1,5 billion are in the pipeline. If our plans succeed we will be creating the first Transfrontier Marine Protected Area, and first Transfrontier World Heritage Site in Africa between South Africa and Mozambique as part of the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative. Ladies and gentlemen, the establishment of cross-border TFCAs symbolises the new spirit permeating Southern Africa. The Parks serve the cause of peace in many ways. Nature conservation now provides a livelihood to former combatants. In border areas discharged soldiers are now clearing mines once laid by themselves. Some are assigned to special units to combat poachers or are working as game keepers and are using their experience of the bush for peaceful purposes. Former enemies now work side by side in conservation projects thereby contributing to practical reconciliation.

Without proper management of resources, TFCAs will not achieve their economic potential. Our department is assisting with training wildlife managers, game rangers and field guides at the Southern African Wildlife College, situated in the Kruger Park. In this respect I wish to thank our sponsors of today's programme, KfW Bankengruppe, for having had the foresight in partnering WWF-SA and the Peace Parks Foundation in building this college in 1996. More than 3000 learners from 20 African countries have already been trained in various disciplines at this institution and between 6 000 and 10 000 will follow in the next five years. The expansion of this college is imminent. I understand that KfW is once again the leading agency in this much needed expansion.

In conclusion, the question has been asked whether the establishment of Transfrontier Conservation Parks can be the engine for Africa's development. An important prerequisite to unlock this potential is infrastructure investment in the Transfrontier Conservation Parks. This poses both a challenge and an opportunity for public and private sector investors. At present Africa receives only 1,9% of the world's tourists. Southern Africa's unsurpassed diversity of natural beauty represents a unique potential in economic terms. The majority of tourists from Europe, for example, visit South Africa to view and enjoy our rich biodiversity. Tourism is the third largest provider of foreign exchange and employment generator in South Africa. It promotes not only the formal but also the informal sector.

The latter accounts for 20 to 30 percent of the gross domestic product of several African countries. Many may be surprised to hear that in 2003 South Africa earned more foreign exchange from tourism (R56 billion) than from gold (R35 billion).

The role of agencies, such as KFW in the development of Transfrontier Conservation Parks should not be underestimated and I thank you again. Do continue. Through these Parks our SADC neighbouring countries will also benefit from South Africa's hosting of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. There are certainly other engines that can promote Africa's development, but few with such a multiplier effect such as tourism, and eco-tourism in particular.

Enquiries: Riaan Aucamp
Cell: 083 778 9923

Issued by: Ministry for Environmental Affairs and Tourism
11 March 2005

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